Shuttle On Schedule For Monday Launch

April 23, 1985|United Press International

CAPE CANAVERAL — The shuttle Challenger was on schedule Monday for launch next week, and engineers were optimistic Discovery`s heat-damaged wing control flap can be repaired in time for its next flight in June.

Challenger is scheduled to take off on the 17th shuttle mission at noon next Monday for a seven-day Spacelab flight.

A ``flight readiness review`` was scheduled today to formally clear the spaceship for blastoff. The crew plans to conduct 15 sophisticated experiments in five disciplines.

Challenger`s blastoff follows Discovery`s landing Friday by just 10 days and represents the shortest time between two manned launches since 1966.

Discovery`s next flight is scheduled for June 12 if the ship can be repaired in time.

The shuttle`s left outboard ``elevon,`` a moveable control flap at the end of the wing, was damaged during the ship`s fiery trip back through the atmosphere Friday. A heat-shield tile apparently came loose letting temperatures of more than 1,200 degrees into the area.

The result was a ragged and partially melted hole in the flap and engineers were busy Monday developing repair procedures. To be on the safe side, workers were told to inspect Challenger`s left elevon before launch to make sure no similar problems exist.

Space agency officials said technicians also continued an analysis of Discovery`s brake lock-up, which resulted in a blown landing gear tire during the touchdown, possibly because of crosswinds that forced commander Karol Bobko to vary braking pressure to keep the shuttle in the middle of the runway.